I had the random thought a few days ago when hearing CSNY's "Teach Your Children" that Jerry's pedal steel solos to bookend that song just might be his best known solos by non-deadheads (the vast majority of the listening public). If so, this would be notable for at least two reasons: 1) he's playing pedal steel and not guitar (or banjo), and 2) he's not playing in the band he is universally associated with. If his playing on "Teach" is not his most widely known solo, then what is?

[edit: thanks to Stratocaster, I was reminded to add that the great irony here is that while this is perhaps Jerry's most widely known solo, very few people probably know it's him playing.]

I also think his perfect pedal steel part on "Teach" is one of the best reminders of how sympatico Jerry was with a broad range of American roots music and musicians. His devotion to playing, multi-instrumental prowess, and band-before-ego ethos made him an ideal session musician. On pedal steel, an instrument he never practiced enough to achieve the same mastery as he attained on banjo and guitar, he played for New Riders of the Purple Sage, Jefferson Airplane, Paul Kantner, Brewer and Shipley, Tom Fogerty, Paul Pena, Doug Sahm, Link Wray, Robert Hunter, Peter Rowan, and solo efforts by David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash.

Thanks to everyone who continues to make this Archive such a wonderful repository.

I agree with the others - Teach Your Children is his best-known solo, & most people don't know it's him. On the other hand, I'd guess the rest of his pedal-steel work is largely unknown except by aficionados, or devotees of New Riders/Crosby/Kantner etc. (Quick, name a single other Garcia pedal-steel track that ever got played on the radio.)

As far as his GD work, I'd guess his best-known solos are the ones in Casey Jones & Touch of Grey. Short & simple - but I wouldn't say "unrepresentative" of him, since that kind of 'keep it snappy & close to the song' solo was one side of him as well. But it is another irony since his main public reputation is for playing endless noodling solos...

Great point to emphasize how Jerry could play "snappy and close to the song." Few things are as frustrating as hearing people say Jerry played "endless noodling solos." When someone says this to me, I often reply by saying "have you listened to Jerry play or have you only listened to what some people say about Jerry's playing -- because he's doing many things and endless noodling is not one of them."

Same way "Happy Birthday To You" is Patty and Mildred Hill's best-known song. (I challenge you to name a better-known one by them!) It's Jerry's "best-known solo," not "the best known solo known to be by Jerry."

Clearly there would have to be different categories: Best-Known Solo to Deadheads, Best-Known Solo Known as a Jerry Solo, and Best-Known Solo (definitely this one.)

The Best Known Known Jerry Solo Known by All and Sundry to be Jerry Soloing would have to be from one of the big songs -- Truckin, Sugar Magnolia, Casey Jones -- and would have to be on one of their better-selling albums (Am Beauty, WMD, E72). By definition. But then it might be less of a Jerry Solo and more of a Jerry Moment ...